Outlaws Remain Perfect With 11-10 Victory

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. - Attackman Drew Westervelt scored the game-winning goal with 52 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter as the Denver Outlaws (3-0) rallied from a two-point deficit in the fourth quarter to earn their third straight win, an 11-10 Major League Lacrosse victory over the Long Island Lizards (1-2) at Shuart Stadium on Friday evening.

Westervelt's goal capped an impressive comeback effort from the Outlaws, who scored five of the final six goals to remain one of two unbeaten teams in the MLL while spoiling the Lizards' home opener.

After the teams traded two-point goals to open the game, the Lizards took a 3-2 lead midway through the first quarter when attackman Matt Danowski scored off a feed from midfielder Mike Ward. But, the Outlaws countered by scoring back-to-back goals in a 60-second span to take a 4-3 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The Lizards used a three-goal run in the second quarter to take a 6-4 half-time lead. After Danowski scored his second goal of the game just under five minutes into the period, midfielder Chris Fiore gave Long Island a 5-4 advantage with an unassisted marker past goalkeeper Jesse Schwartzman. With 1:26 left in the half, midfielder Stephen Peyser upped the Long Island lead to 6-4 with his second goal of the game.

The teams opened the third quarter by trading a pair of goals, giving Long Island an 8-6 advantage. Midfielder Stephen Berger scored both Lizard goals during the period while midfielder Bill McGlone and attackman Brendan Mundorf each scored for the Outlaws.

After Peyser tallied his third goal of the game just over a minute into the fourth quarter, rookie attackman Billy Bitter tallied back-to-back goals in a 70-second span to pull the Outlaws within 9-8 with 10:31 left.

Attackman Tim Goettelmann gave Long Island a 10-8 lead with 9:29 remaining when he scored an unassisted goal past Schwartzman, setting up the Outlaws' rally.

With 5:48 remaining, McGlone tallied his second goal of the game to narrow the margin to 10-9 before Mundorf followed with an extra-man marker, tying the game with 2:26 remaining.

Then, Westervelt gave the Outlaws a one-point lead when he scooped up a rebound of his initial shot that was stopped by goalkeeper Drew Adams and scored his second goal of the game. Midfielder Andrew Hennessey won the ensuing face-off and the Outlaws ran out the clock to earn the victory.

Bitter earned Bud Light Player of the Game honors after recording the first "hat trick" of his brief MLL career while McGlone contributed two goals with an assist. Mundorf and Westervelt each scored two goals for the Outlaws, who outshot the Lizards by a 54-42 margin.

Peyser led the Lizards in a losing effort by scoring three goals, including a two-point marker, while Danowski scored two goals with an assist. Adams made 17 saves to lead the Long Island defense.